Humanity and Divinity

Jesus comes to the Jordan River, where two events occur that mark the beginning of his public ministry. First, Jesus is baptized. Given John’s vocal teaching of repentance and baptism, why did Jesus submit to a baptism of repentance? He was sinless. Secondly, why did the Holy Spirit come down to him like a dove during his baptism only to then whisk him “right away,” as Mark puts it, into the desert where Satan tested him for forty days?

In these four verses of Mark, we stand right at the crux of Jesus’ humanity and divinity. He was fully human and fully divine, not half human and half divine. He didn’t need to enter the waters of baptism because of his sin but because of ours (Matthew 3:14-15). He identified himself with sinful humanity right at the beginning of his ministry to sinful humanity.

As Marks writes, Jesus saw the Holy Spirit coming down like a dove, and then a voice from heaven was heard: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you, I am well pleased.” This was Jesus’ anointing for ministry, an anointing he claims for himself in Luke 4:18. The heavenly voice echoes Mark’s own words in verse 1: “The good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.”

Jesus’ identification with human sin continues as Satan tests him for forty days, a number that reminds us of both Moses’ and Elijah’s experiences in the desert. (Exodus 24:18, 1 Kings 19:8) Mark is the only writer who mentions the wild animals (v 13), a colourful detail.

Satan tested Jesus again and again, just as he does us.

Respond in Prayer

Lord God, as I try to understand your Son’s humanity and divinity, may I never lose sight of what he has done for me. Thank you for his willingness to identify with my sin. In his holy name, I pray, Amen.

Sarah Patterson

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version® (NIV®).